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General News

Deep Blue

written by Jimi Partington

Posted on Thursday, 19 May 2016

The footage of an enormous Great White shark circling divers in a cage at Guadalupe Island was posted in 2015 and has since gone viral. In a matter of just 24 hours, the huge shark named Deep Blue had become one of the most talked about White sharks on the planet. So, what’s the story behind the footage? How big is she really? When was the footage taken? And where did this incredible shark come from?

The footage was taken by Guadalupe Islands’ leading onsite scientists Mauricio Hoyos, and was shot back in November of 2013. At this time operators at the Island saw Deep Blue on a few occasions. She was filmed during that month by Discovery channel for the acclaimed production “Jaws Strikes Back” in which she was tagged and followed by an underwater camera. It is this Internet clip however, that really shows off her size and girth against the cage and the divers she encounters.

There has been some guess work on the length of this shark but based on our knowledge and after speaking to Mauricio, Deep Blue has been estimated at anywhere between 19-21ft in length, making her not only the largest shark ever seen at Guadalupe, but one of the largest ever seen on the planet! At over two tons in weight and possibly up to 50 years old, this is a magnificent and rare specimen, making this experience for the divers an incredible wildlife encounter.

Deep Blue has been estimated at anywhere between 19-21ft in length, making her not only the largest shark ever seen at Guadalupe, but one of the largest ever seen on the planet!

It is theorised that Guadalupe is a mating ground for White sharks. From mid-October huge mature females are seen regularly, often with fresh mating scars down their flanks. They coincide their arrival in the season with that of the Californian Elephant seals, which they feed on before making the long migration along the Californian coastline. After a two-year migration, these females are seen time and time again revisiting the island and beginning the cycle once more. The interesting thing about Deep Blue is that 2013 was the only time this individual has ever been seen at the island…

Seeing a shark like Deep Blue, in her natural environment from the safety of a cage is a truly humbling experience. She cannot be tamed, nor be kept in captivity, weighs the same as a small vehicle and is as long as a minibus. One of the worlds’ last predators, unchanged for millions of years swimming effortlessly and majestically within touching distance of divers.

The Apex team will be running trips to Guadalupe to meet sharks like Deep Blue (click this link to watch the vid) in November 2016.